2110-3-1-14

[handwritten] Lodge [printed] CHARLES E. BRUMWELL BOOKSELLER: STATIONER AND DEALER IN HIGH-CLASS FANCY GOODS 10: BROAD STREET: HEREFORD Telephone 1073

SMART STATIONERY AND USEFUL PRESENTS. A LARGE SELECTION OF THEOLOGICAL LITERATURE IN STOCK. PICTURES FROM ALL THE LONDON AND FOREIGN GALLERIES. DEPOT FOR THE S.P.C.K.

John Buchan Esq. May. 21/17.

Dear Sir,

I have just read your book "A Lodge in the Wilderness" having received it a few days ago from your Firm. I feel that I should really like to thank you for having written such a book. It is impossible that any praise of mine can minister to your vanity.

It may even be considered impertinent, but I do feel what I say. I seem to recognise something in the architecture of the book akin to Lowes Dickinson's "A Modern Symposium" etc.

I feel the value of your book so much, in that I myself, am trying to reconstruct my intellectual house. All my ideas went into the "Melting Pot" in August 1914. I have now at the age of 37, run the gamut of Liberalism, I.L.P.ism, and their attendant shibboleths.

Since the war I have been reading History (Cambridge Modern) and of course everything that has appeared of any value upon the war, your own Nelsons History included.

I soon found that all my old theories had to go, and that I could not square the circle.

[Letterhead] CHARLES E. BRUMWELL BOOKSELLER , STATIONER AND DEALER IN HIGH - CLASS FANCY GOODS [decorative line] 10 : BROAD STREET : HEREFORD [top right] [decorative line] SMART STATIONERY AND USEFUL PRESENTS. [leaf image] A LARGE SELECTION OF THEOLOGICAL LITERATURE IN STOCK. PICTURES FROM ALL THE LONDON AND FOREIGN GALLERIES. DEPOT FOR THE S.P.C.K [image of leaf] [image of leaf] [center below letterhead] TELEPHONE 1073

(2.)

Now to your book. As I was halfway through it I took down from my shelves G.P.Gooch's "Essay on Imperialism" in a series of Studies called the "Heart of the Empire" published in 1907. All the old spirit of so-called Liberalism is there, and it sounded very hollow today.

I do not want to bore you by too long a letter. Your book will want a lot of thinking about. I do not know that I should agree with all your views as represented there. The question of Coolie labour is a very difficult one, and I must not embark upon it.

The value of the book to me is the endeavour to get a new outlook upon Imperial matters. It ought to be as you say, a Creed, or again, in a phrase that has been much misused "We must learn to think Imperially."

In closing I should just like to say that I shall try to sell as many copies as I can of your book. I do think it is important, and do feel that as a Bookseller, I should try to get my customers to read the books that are really worth while.

[letterhead] CHARLES E. BRUMWELL BOOKSELLER , STATIONER AND DEALER IN HIGH - CLASS FANCY GOODS [decorative line] 10 : BROAD STREET : HEREFORD [rop right] [decorative line] SMART STARTIONERY AND USEFUL PRESENTS. [image of leaf] A LARGE SELECTION OF THEOLOGICAL LITERATURE IN STOCK. PICTURES FROM ALL THE LONDON AND FOREIGN GALLERIES. DEPOT FOR THE S.P.C.K. [image of leaf] [image of leaf]

[middle of letterhead] TELEPHONE 1073)

[middle of letterhead] (3.)

Individual agreement with the author is immaterial. I am writing your people today for 100 copies and think that I shall enjoy the selling of them. It is much easier to sell "Daddy Longlegs" or even "The Power House" but there is a certain satisfaction in selling something of value.

I trust that you will pardon any liberty I may have taken. Although you say "no character in your book is to be taken literally" in the figure of Carey one is at once reminded of Cecil Rhodes.

[middle of page] I am, Sir,

[middle of page] Yours faithfully,

[signature] C.E. Brumwell

[handwritten] I am asking Messrs T. Nelsons to forward this. Although I know that you are doing staffwork, I do not know your address. [line]